Walking into Maine-Endwell High School for a recent public hearing on the Broome Technology Park project was a full-circle moment for me.
Growing up, my family was supported by the technology-related industries for which Binghamton was known throughout the 20th Century. My father was a mechanical engineer for Singer Link in Kirkwood – a job that, at the time, offered stability and fostered a close-knit, upwardly mobile community.
I experienced first-hand the slow demise of Link and IBM and witnessed the negative ripple effect that had on our local economy. Sitting in my old high school auditorium as my neighbors discussed their thoughts on the Broome Technology Park, I was acutely aware of the long-term impact the loss of jobs and opportunity has had on our community…